Flash-signaling device



`Iuly 1, 1930.

FLASH S IGNALING DEVICE L. H. MCCARRON Filed June 10, 1929 31a/vento@ Patented .uly l, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTrh OFFICE LEWIS H.' MCCARRON, 0F SIERRA MADRE, CALIFORNIA, .ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC SIGN FLASHER CORPORATION, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -FrLASBI-SIGNALIIN'G DEVICE Application led .Tune 10,

In the description of my signaling device,

I shall show it and describe it as applied to an automobile, but do not limit myself to its use on an automobile as it has various other uses.

The drawing forming a part of this application is a diagrammatic illustration of my invention applied to an automobile, a portion of which is shown diagrammatically.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a fragment of the chassis of an automobile, and 2 is a portion of the foot brake lever. Mounted in the chassis is a source of electricity shown as a battery, 3. The chassis 1 has secured thereto a base plate 4, on which is pivotally mounted by pin 5 a contact lever 6 on the lower end of which is contact 7 that is insulated therefrom by insulating washers 8. Adjacent to lever 6 and pivotally mounted on plate 4 by in 5 is a second contact lever 9, on the lower end of which is contact 10 that is insulated therefrom by insulating washers 11. Secured to lever 6 between pivot 5 and contact 7 is a thermo-expansive wire 12, which is insulated from lever 6. The outer end of wire 12 is secured to a stud 13 mounted on plate 4, and is insulated from said stud. A magnet coil 14 is mounted on plate 4 and has one side thereof connected to wire 12 at stud 13 by wire 15.

The other side of coil 14 is connected 'to contact 10 by wire 16. A branch wire 17 connects wire 16 to signal 18. One side of batta 3 is connected by wire 19 with the inner v en of wire 12. The other side of battery 3 is connected by Wire 20 to contact 7. The other side of signal 18 is connected to wire 19 by wire 19?'. An operating lever 21 is pivotally mounted on plate 4 adjacent to the upper end of lever 9, and is adapted when the upper end thereof is moved to the left to rock lever 9 and thereby cause contacts and 10 to ena guide lug 23 mounted on plate 4. A safety 1929. Serial N0. 369,662.

gage. Lever '9 is so located that its upper end forms an armature for coil 14. A rod 22 is connected to lever 21 and passes through spring 24 connects rodV 22 with lever 2. spring 25 coiled around rod 22 between lug 23 and lever 21 normally holds lever 21 from engaging contact lever 9. A spring 26 secured to lever 9 and to plate 4 normally holds lever 9 from carrying contact 11) into engagement with contact 7. A spring 27 secured to the upper end of contact lever 6 and to plate 4 keeps wire 12 taut when it expands, as hereafter stated. A stop 28 holds lever 21 from moving too far to the left. Y

In the operation of my device, when the brake lever is moved to apply the brakes, lever 21 moves contact lever 9 to cause contacts 7 and 10 to'engage, thereby causing current to flow through the coil and through thermo-expansive wire 12 and its connections. and also through stop signal 18.' Vire 12 soon becomes heated and expands, thereby permitting spring 27 to rock lever 6 to carry contact 7 to the right. At the same time magnet 14 causes its armature to' also move contact 10 to the right thereby maintaining engagement between .contacts 7 and 10, a longer time than if the magnet were omitted. The further expansion of 12 permits spring 27 to cause the separation of contacts 7 and 10, thus stopping the flow of current through coil 14 and signal 18. Wire 12 quickly cools and contracts and draws lever 6 to again cause contacts 7 and 10 to engage. It will be observed that after magnet 14 is energized, it exerts a pull upon its armature 9 and as wire 12 becomes heated and begin to expand, the pull upon armature 9 keeps contacts 7 and 10 in engagement until the expansion of wire 12 permlts spring 27 to pull lever 6 to cause the separation o contacts 7 and 10 thereby breaking the current through magnet 12 which then releases the pull of its armature 9y and contacts 7 land 10 separate with a snap thereby avoiding objectionable arcing.

Thereafter, the operations are repeated as long as the brake lever is applied. When pressure is removed from the brake lever, the parts resume normalcy. Other means than a 10o brake lever can be used to move lever 2l to cause lever 9 to carry contact l0 into engagement with contact 7 When the flash signal 18 is used in other structures, lever 21 and 5 parts thereafter mentioned would be omitted and suitable means would be provided for causing the engagement of contacts 7 and l0 .and a stop would be provided for the upper end of lever 9.

10 Having thus described my invention I claim:

A flash signal device comprising a source of electricity; a magnet coil operated thereby; a ash signal connected in shunt to the coil circuit; a switch in said coil circuit; springs connected to said switch members adapted to cause the separation of said members; and a thermo-expansive wire forming a part of the magnet coil circuit and when cool adapted to keep the switch members lof the coil circuit in engagement, and when heated to permit said switch members to be disengaged by the springs connected thereto.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of June, 1929.

`LEWIS H. MCCARRON. 

